1. Technical Field
This disclosure generally relates to image forming apparatuses and, more particularly, to an image forming apparatus having an image forming part for forming an image by scanning a recording head that discharges droplets of a recording liquid.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, there is known an image forming apparatus, such as a printer, a facsimile machine, a copier or a combination machine having the functions of those, having an image forming part using electrophotography. There also is an image forming apparatus having an image forming part using an inkjet recording method. According to the inkjet recording method, a recording head is constituted by a liquid discharge head that discharges droplets of a recording liquid so as to form an image on a recording medium by adhering the droplets of the recording liquid on the recording medium while conveying the recording medium. Hereinafter, the recording medium may be referred to as a recording paper, which does not limit a material of the recording medium and is used in the same meaning as a recording medium or a transfer material. Additionally, the droplets of the recording liquid may be referred to as ink droplets. Further, the image formation may be used in the same meaning as recording, printing, image printing or character printing.
In the meantime, an image forming part using the inkjet recording method must have a mechanism to maintain and recover a performance of the recording head that discharges the ink droplets. Such a maintenance and recovery mechanism generally comprises a moisture retention cap, a suction cap, a wiper blade and a waste discharge receiver. The moisture retention cap covers a nozzle surface with a high sealing effect so as to prevent the recording liquid from increasing in viscosity or adhering to the nozzle surface due to natural evaporation of the recording liquid such as ink. The suction cap is for suctioning and discharging the recording liquid, of which viscosity has been increased, from the nozzle. The suction cap may also serve as the moisture retention cap. The wiper blade wipes and removes the recording liquid adhering on the nozzle surface. The wiper blade may be referred to as a cleaning blade, a wiper, a blade member or a blade. The waste discharge receiver receives the droplets of recording liquid which do not contribute the actual image formation.
When using a serial scan method which forms an image on a recording paper while scanning a recording head mounted on a carriage in a main scanning direction, the maintenance and recovery mechanism is located at an end part in the main scanning direction, and the waste discharge receiver is also located at the end part in the main scanning direction. Alternatively, the maintenance and recovery mechanism may be located each of opposite ends in the main scanning direction as disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application 2004-284084.
It should be noted that Japanese Laid-Open Patent Applications No. 2003-285498, No. 11-240224 and No. 2002-11874 disclose examples of a conventional image forming apparatus including a conventional inkjet recording apparatus.
As mentioned above, if the image forming part for forming an image according to the serial scan method using a recording head constituted as a liquid discharge head as mentioned above, a maintenance and recovery mechanism and the waste discharge receiving part are located on one or both ends in the main scanning direction of a carriage, there is a problem in that the size of the apparatus body is increased, which increases a space occupied by the apparatus.
Additionally, in the image forming part having such an image forming part, if an inner body paper eject structure (a paper eject part is provided in a space between the apparatus body and the original reading apparatus), which is used as a structure of a general image forming apparatus, is used, there is a problem in that it is difficult to see recording papers stacked on a paper eject part since an operation part for operating the apparatus may be an obstacle.
Further, in a general image forming apparatus, it is very difficult to operate an operation part, which is operated by an operator, while the operator is sitting, for example, on a wheel chair since the operation part is configured and arranged to operate from above. Thus, the operation part may use a tilt system, but, in such a case, there also is a problem in that it is difficult to see recording papers ejected on the inner body paper eject part.